


Endgame

by isabeau, Miriam (isabeau)



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Chess - Rice/Ulvaeus/Andersson
Genre: Filk, Gen, Really old fic (pre-2000)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2000-01-01
Updated: 2000-01-01
Packaged: 2017-10-18 07:26:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/186423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isabeau/pseuds/isabeau, https://archiveofourown.org/users/isabeau/pseuds/Miriam
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Becoming", as told via Chess; or, Chess as told via the first two seasons of Buffy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Endgame

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry for this, really am. It's really the first two (sung) lines that started it all, listening to "Chess" last night and hearing "Slayer" for "player"...the rest...well, it did get rather out of control, didn't it? And I'm really quite sorry for the ending...

_"Endgame"_  
or, Chess games on a Hellmouth

 _[Stage: A giant chess board. The players move among scattered chess  
pieces-- a pawn, a rook, a queen-- all larger than normal, but not  
quite to scale with the board. The lights come up. In the  
background, the CHORUS is chanting dates, and the name of the Slayer  
called in that year. In centre stage, KENDRA and DRUSILLA are  
circling each other, armed with stake and fangs. ZABUTO is on the  
sidelines, watching; on the other side, SPIKE, in a wheelchair, is  
doing the same.]_

ZABUTO: How straightforward it is  
When one has trust in ones Slayer  
And how great the relief  
Working with one who believes in  
Loyalty  
Secrecy  
True to the last, come what may

 _[DRUSILLA kills KENDRA without much fuss; ZABUTO turns away. SPIKE  
speaks to himself as DRUSILLA wanders off, leaving KENDRA dead on the  
stage]_

SPIKE: Though it gives me no joy  
Helping the cause of the Slayer  
I can safely assume  
My late, unpredictable sire  
Will, if he wins,  
Have the only thing won be his death

 _[SPIKE moves off; ANGELUS steps out of the shadows, carrying an Orb of  
Thesulah, which glows as he speaks.]_

ANGELUS: It's the weak who extol  
Tawdry untruths about about gypsies  
Prostituting themselves  
Chasing a spurious magic  
Trinkets and baubles sufficient to lead them astray

 _[ANGELUS tosses the Orb down, where it shatters. He stalks off,  
almost running into WHISTLER, who grabs his arm]_

WHISTLER: Does the player exist  
In any vampire's endeavour  
Who's been known to resist  
Sirens of bloodlust and passion?  
They will destroy you  
Not Slayers  
Not stakes  
But success

 _[BUFFY comes on stage, and everyone stops all movement. Even the  
CHORUS is silent now. The spotlight is on her; the rest are bathed in  
a dim red light. BUFFY looks down at KENDRA's body, then around at  
the CHORUS]_

BUFFY: They all think they see a girl  
Who does not know  
Which vamp to slay  
Which way to go  
Whose private life caused her decline  
Wrecked her grand design

Some are vicious, some are fools  
And others blind to see in me one of their kind...

 _[SNYDER steps forward; she whirls on him, stake in one hand, sword in  
the other]_

BUFFY: Anyone can be a student, learning  
Things they'll never need, and thereby earning  
Academic bliss that's shelter for their failings

SNYDER: Nothing could be worse  
Than self-denial  
I'll no more rehearse  
This endless trial  
You are now expelled! (The voice of sense prevailing!)

BUFFY: I don't care if you tear me  
Apart-- A minor, useless triumph--  
Spare me  
Your glee; you're esoteric,  
Paranoid, hysteric,  
You don't pay attention to what goes on around you.  
You never got a date in high school, did you?

SNYDER: A normal person must dismiss you with disgust  
And weep for those who trusted you

 _[BUFFY brushes past him, and past a pair of POLICE OFFICERS who try to  
detain her for KENDRA's murder. SPIKE, with CHORUS backup, stops her.]_

SPIKE: Listen to them shout  
They think you killed her  
In their minds no doubt--  
You *will* be billed here  
Let me help-- and help me  
Save the world from Ang'lus

He'll destroy the world  
If we don't stop him  
This will all be hurled  
To hell-- and more, I've got him  
Hanging with my Dru and stealing her away from me

 _[BUFFY eyes him suspiciously, but nods. JOYCE enters, just as a  
VAMPIRE jumps them. BUFFY stakes him, to the shock of JOYCE]_

JOYCE: Buffy, please-- I don't get this!  
How can you just expect me to forget this?

SPIKE: _[impatiently]_  
It isn't very often that Acathla softens  
Buffy, please we need to go!

BUFFY: _[to JOYCE]_ How can you begin to  
Appreciate the work that I've put into  
This calling through the years  
My blood and sweat and tears  
The late, late nights, the early starts?

 _[She turns to leave.]_

JOYCE: There you go again!  
I won't allow this,  
Don't you leave this house!  
I mean this now, this  
Foolishness will stop right here--

BUFFY: You cannot stop me.

 _[BUFFY leaves; JOYCE stares openmouthed. On another part of the  
stage, ANGELUS is facing off with a rather battered-looking, but still  
defiant, GILES]_

ANGELUS: So, Brit, you _do_ want to die?  
GILES: You're the only one who's never cared for anyone at all  
ANGELUS: Tell me how to do the spell  
GILES: To make it work...you need to do it...wearing a bright pink tutu  
ANGELUS: Drusilla, come here! Play your games and make our guest here  
talk

 _[DRUSILLA enters and kneels in front of GILES; during the following  
sequence, DRUSILLA becomes more like JENNY CALENDAR]_

DRUSILLA: Tell me  
GILES: Never  
DRUSILLA/JENNY: Tell me  
GILES: Never  
JENNY/DRUSILLA: Tell me  
GILES: Never  
JENNY: Tell me  
GILES: Never  
Nev--

 _[DRUSILLA, as JENNY, kisses him, effectively shutting him up.  
Suddenly BUFFY appears, followed by SPIKE-- who grabs DRUSILLA and  
carries her off-- and XANDER-- who takes GILES and leads him away.  
BUFFY and ANGELUS face off.]_

ANGELUS: This is where it ends  
You're all alone now  
You've no more defense  
Your Watcher's gone, now.  
Watcher, friends, and mom-- who's left for you to trust...?

BUFFY: (spoken) Me.  
(sung) There is no one in my life  
Who does not take  
Shelter behind  
Me and my stake  
These lyrics suck  
And so do you--!

 _[Disgusted, BUFFY picks up one of the chess pieces-- a bishop,  
conveniently pointy, and conveniently wooden-- and hurls it at  
ANGELUS. He looks down in surprise at the chess piece sticking out of  
his heart, then explodes in dust. BUFFY smiles.]_

BUFFY: (spoken) Check and mate.

 _[curtain]_


End file.
